Janet Berliner

Truth is, I’ve had a rough time this year. This decade. A lot of pain for little gain. Too many pills and too much introspection. Too many times when I’ve stopped trying—almost; too much thought given to what it means to succeed as an artist in a tough and competitive world and what it takes to keep trying.

The obvious answers come easily to the tongue: persistence, luck, talent, luck, knowing the right people, luck. What I need to remember to mention is that, as per the advice given in the hit song from the Broadway musical the Broadway musical “Damn Yankees,” you gotta have heart.

“You’ve gotta have heart
All you really need is heart
When the odds are sayin’
you’ll never win
That’s when the grin should start
You’ve gotta have hope
Mustn’t sit around and mope
Nothin’s half as bad as it may appear
Wait’ll next year and hope
When your luck is battin’ zero
Get your chin up off the floor
Mister you can be a hero
You can open any door, there’s nothin’ to it but to do it
You’ve gotta have heart
Miles ‘n miles n’ miles of heart
Oh, it’s fine to be a genius of course
But keep that old horse
Before the cart
First you’ve gotta have…….HEART. ”

Thanks to my ten-year-old grandson, Max DeSantis, I’ll never forget it again.

Here’s why.

He’s obsessed by the stage, most particularly musicals. He’s been performing a lot, given his youth. He’s talented and he’s cute.

Here. Judge for yourselves. The first one’s a headshot, the second a recent snapshot he sent to me along with the following poem:

I AM

I am Max who acts.
I wonder if I will make a show.
I hear singing at auditions.
I see people dancing in the breeze.
I want to be in the musical.
I am Max who acts.

I pretend that I made the show.
I feel confident that I will become successful.
I touch the music sheets.
I worry that I did not do well.
I cry when I don’t succeed.
I am Max who acts.

I understand that I will have other chances.
I say I will try again some day.
I dream that I will become famous.
I try to do better.
I hope that I am awesome enough.
I am Max who acts.